When I first began in the hobby, I had no problems with bloodworms and used
them frequently on many fish spp. The last several (5 or 6??) years I have
begun to react to them, and the reactions became progressively worse. Now I
try my best to avoid them as much as is possible when working in retail fish
shops, and I no longer use them at all at home. There are plenty of great
substitutes and I find my fish are less likely to "fixate" on just the one
food like they used to with bloodworms.
Now, if I am exposed to them (especially in frozen form) and don't
immediately wash with soap and water, my eyes swell up... not the lids, but
the actual outer layer of the eyeball itself (sclera??). They itch and
water, and once both swelled and my face got quite tight. Had to take
Benadryl, which I don't do very often. Scary. My hands also can get itchy
and my heart rate definitely goes up.
And my reactions are still mild.
I know others (Harro included) who have had to be rushed to hospital from
exposure. My boyfriend is also mildly allergic and he gets itchy skin from
exposure. Several friends who also are long time fishkeepers have developed
mild allergies, too.
Harro can better explain the reasons behind the sensitivity many people have
to these critters I am sure. Something to do with them having blood which
contains hemoglobin. One thing I do know. They happen over time and with
repeated exposure, and the severity of the reactions gets worse with each
exposure. Eventually one can become so allergic that reactions can be
potentially fatal.
There ya go! :-)
Julie <'><
>From: "Brad Jackson" <angfa1 at hotmail.com>
>Reply-To: r_m_l at yahoogroups.com
>To: <r_m_l at yahoogroups.com>
>Subject: Re: RE: [RML] Fish TB (Mycobacteriosis)
>Date: Mon, 30 May 2005 17:14:26 -0500
>
>Julie
> I have kept fish for over 35 years and have yet to encounter a fish with
>TB. Currently I only have native north american fish but at one point I had
>50 tanks dedicated to rainbows and never had any with TB. Most of my fish
>were wild caught or ofspring from my wild fish which may have made a
>difference. I do however understand that it is a serious desease and care
>should be taken. I am curious about your bloodworm allergies though. Could
>you elaborate more this is a new one to me but maybe something more people
>should be aware of.
>Later
>angfa1
>Brad Jackson
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Julie Zeppieri
> To: r_m_l at yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Monday, May 30, 2005 1:43 PM
> Subject: Re: RE: [RML] Fish TB (Mycobacteriosis)
>
>
> Heh! ;-) :-)
>
> Considering I have worked for the past 12 to 15 years in the pet trade I
>am
> sure I have been exposed to this on MANY occaisions! I, too, know people
>who
> have gotten this disease and it is not cured quickly, and by all
>accounts is
> not fun. :-( I do what I can to stay reasonably safe, but I understand
> that I risk infection sooner or later as long as I am employed in the
>pet
> trade. My hands are in and out of all sorts of aquariums every day.
>
> I guess it could be worse tho. I could be in a profession where I risk
> getting killed instead of just sick. I could be a doctor/nurse or a
> firefighter or in law enforcement, where they risk much more than just a
> fish-TB infection... of course they get better pay, too, don't they? It
>is
> all a matter of perspective, I guess.
>
> All in all, I am much more concerned with exposure to bloodworms, as
>THAT
> could kill me with my allergies to them. This is a much bigger fear for
>me,
> personally, than fish-TB. I know you have even worse bloodworm allergies
> than I do, Harro, so you can understand this I think.
>
> As I said, I am as careful as I can be and still do my job. :-)
>Despite
> the levity in my posts, I do not take this lightly, but it is a fact of
>my
> job that I am at risk and I accept this.
>
> Julie <'><
>
>
> >From: "Harro.Hieronimus at t-online.de" <harro.hieronimus at t-online.de>
> >Reply-To: r_m_l at yahoogroups.com
> >To: r_m_l at yahoogroups.com
> >Subject: Re: RE: [RML] Fish TB (Mycobacteriosis)
> >Date: Mon, 30 May 2005 10:50:40 +0200
> >
> >I would not even put my hand in a tank with obviously TB infected fish!
> >This disease is harmful to men and may cause severe damage if not cured
> >in time (another reason not to use antibiotics in aquarism!). There has
> >been a lot of information in an article a few years ago, published in
> >FAMA or AFM, I can't remember exactly. I have contact to several
>dealers
> >and learned that several already had a fish tb infection. It ended in
> >most cases at least with a scar, and in one case antibiotics seem not
>to
> >work sufficiently (maybe a stupid doctor, too, who does not know much
> >about this disease). So be careful and use plastic gloves in an
>infected
> >tank.
> >
> >Harro
> >
> >
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >Date: Mon, 30 May 2005 03:13:09 +0200
> >Subject: RE: [RML] Fish TB (Mycobacteriosis)
> >From: "Julie Zeppieri" <bowluvr at hotmail.com>
> >To: r_m_l at yahoogroups.com
> >
> > I think having a "comprehensive" piece of literature covering all
> >aspects of
> > this disease would be a good resource to have available to all out
> >there,
> > especially to Rainbowfish keepers. :-) I, for one, would
> >appreciate your
> > doing this.
> > One can keep infected fish alive for many years with good care. I
> >have found
> > that if one does need to keep infected fish alive for whatever
> >reason, that
> > the tank they are in should have all of its own (dedicated) nets,
> >buckets,
> > siphons and other equipment, and hands should be washed after
> >working the
> > tank so as not to spread the disease elsewhere.
> > Julie <
> > >From: "blueredorganic"
> > >Reply-To: r_m_l at yahoogroups.com
> > >To: r_m_l at yahoogroups.com
> > >Subject: [RML] Fish TB (Mycobacteriosis)
> > >Date: Sun, 29 May 2005 22:54:36 -0000
> > >
> > >Dear Rainbowfish lovers,
> > >
> > >I'm not sure how posting to this group works, so I'm going to be
> > >brief.
> > >
> > >After 15 years of having Rainbowfish with few problems, all 3 of my
> > >tanks are now infected with Fish TB. I assume its from some fish I
> > >added to one tank last year. Believe me, this disease is no fun.
> >It
> > >Rainbowfish appear to be highly susceptible and what I've read on
> > >Internet suggests that many commercial stocks are now infected.
> >Last
> > >time I visited my local aquarium store, half of the fish had a few
> > >symptoms ... gill cover erosion, sluggishness, swollen bodies, etc.
> > >
> > >Symptoms don't appear for months, so even careful quarantining may
> > >not help. There is no cure other than to tear down tanks and start
> > >over.
> > >
> > >While poor care may accentuate the disease in infected fish, poor
> > >care will not cause it. The organisms that cause the disease
> > >(pathogenic strains of Mycobacterium marinum and M. fortinum) must
> >be
> > >first be brought into the tank.
> > >
> > >I will be glad to write a comprehensive article for this group on
> > >what I have learned about Mycobacteriosis. I believe that every
> > >person in this group should know more about this disease that
> > >threatens our Rainbowfish. This disease is also transmitted to
> > >humans (e.g., "fish tank syndrome".
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >--- In r_m_l at yahoogroups.com, "Julie Zeppieri" wrote:
> > > > It has never stopped me. :-) As with everything else in life,
> > >you should
> > > > be an informed consumer and do some research before you
> >purchase.
> > >Then, take
> > > > good care of what you buy. Goes a long, long way in keeping
> >things
> > >fun IMHO.
> > > > :-)
> > > >
> > > > Julie <
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > >From: ampullariidae at c...
> > > > >Reply-To: r_m_l at yahoogroups.com
> > > > >To: r_m_l at yahoogroups.com
> > > > >Subject: Re: [RML] Fish TB?
> > > > >Date: Fri, 6 May 2005 17:57:12 EDT
> > > > >
> > > > >Do you think the fear of rainbowfish getting TB would warrant
> >not
> > >keeping
> > > > >them? I have a large aquarium collection and I don't need an
> > >epidemic...
> > > > >
> > > > >Thanks,
> > > > >Andrew
> > >
> > >